Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to introduce a national screening programme for lung cancer, including using a blood test.

Screening for lung cancer is included as part of the United Kingdom National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) 2020/21 workplan. However this is to review the offer to screen for lung cancer using low dose computed tomography (CT) screening. The UK NSC is now reviewing this condition in light of the recent publication of the NELSON trial results which used CT screening for former and current smokers. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1911793

The UK NSC has not looked at the evidence to screen for lung cancer using a blood test due to the absence of published peer reviewed evidence on this. The UK NSC will review any programme in light of any new published evidence. More information and how to participate in UK NSC consultations can be read at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-evidence-review-process